If you are developing a Quest course and would like to connect with other members of the teaching community who are constructing courses with your Signature Question, several opportunities to converse with colleagues will be offered in the next few months. Featured in today’s USP Update are the following two dates:

Peer Mentor Program Recruitment in Progress In their Quest I classes next fall, students will quickly meet and get the contact info of their peer mentor, another student who is trained and ready to help them become familiar with academic life at UW Oshkosh. Mentors are chosen based on their success as students and as campus leaders. These mentors will be great resources to incoming students, ready to help each first-year student write their own success story.

The peer mentor application deadline is Jan. 2, 2013. Applicants must be currently enrolled students in good academic and disciplinary standing at UW Oshkosh. Peer mentor candidates should possess a variety of qualities including, but not limited to:

Familiarity with UW Oshkosh resources, services and campus;

University pride;

A desire to work with students, faculty and staff members;

A willingness to learn and teach;

Problem-solving abilities;

Leadership potential;

Interpersonal and public communication competence;

Ability to work effectively with diverse students and to promote inclusive excellence

To nominate students for the Peer Mentor Program, send their names and emails to usp@uwosh.edu.

Meet the USP Council
The USP Council is comprised of members of the UW Oshkosh campus community who are supporting the early implementation of this new general education program. In the next several USP Updates, we will introduce members of this collaborative team.

Karl Boehler,
Assistant Director, First-Year Experience

While Dr. Boehler’s area of study is medieval literature, he is especially interested in working with first-year students. “We know that if students make solid connections—to the University, to their peers, to their instructors—they have a much better chance of succeeding as students," Boehler said. "They not only stay at the university but they also have better educational experiences while they are here. I want every student at UW Oshkosh to have the chance to make these connections, to experience the life-changing transformation that comes from becoming liberally educated.”

Karl’s role this year is to contribute his expertise and knowledge from directing and teaching the first-year experience courses. His vast experience is informing the USP Council as various components of the program are developed, including student ambassadors, peer mentors, Quest I and Quest II. Karl is working closely with previously introduced USP Council members Debbie Gray Patton, Mehgan Clark and Tracy Slagter (see USP Update archive). Karl is an invaluable resource to the USP Council during this year of transition between proposal acceptance and program launch.

Karl completed his doctorate in Medieval English at Marquette University. His two master's degrees are from Michigan – in English from Western Michigan University and another from the Medieval Institute at Western Michigan. His undergraduate degree is from UW Green Bay. The USP Council and the entire campus is benefitting not only from Karl’s FYE work, but from the work of all who have piloted first year experience courses prior to the University Studies Program. That work has provided a tremendous foundation for this next stage that will serve all first year students.